Lean F.I.R.E. 2014 till now! Still going strong! AK is wrong!

A regular reader, Henry, commented: 

"A good piece from you about Lean Fire. 

Like you, I have a crisis mentality and always worried about money not enough after FIRE in my 40s. 

To the extent that I would review my savings versus expenses every month. 

Then I figured out I should use a withdrawal rate of maximum 2% and factor in a 2.5% annual inflation into my calculation. 

This relieved the situation a lot and I only look at the number once a year. 

Then C19 induced high inflation struck. 

Haha, had to rework those numbers again every few months. 

Glad that I'm still alive and just returned from a Europe holiday. 

Your blog is so good. I learnt a lot since 2014, the year that I FIRE. Thanks again."


Then, in reply to my comment, Henry dropped a surprise on me. 

Henry said: 

"Alamak AK. Cannot compare my Lean FIRE with your Abundant FIRE lah. 🔥 

Even go holiday also must go when there's promo and low period to save costs. 

Now back to the reality of "poverty" living. Lol. 

Your blog had helped many over the years. 

Sifu and role model. Keep it up." 

I was replying to Henry's comment and something just kept me shifting my weight on the chair. 

I decided the problem was not my chair nor my buttocks. 

I was very curious. 

Very, very curious. 

So, I decided to publish my reply as a blog to see if there is a chance of satisfying my curiosity.

My response. 

"Hi Henry, 

Oh, you went for Lean F.I.R.E. 

Was that concept already around so many years ago? 

I wasn't aware of the different forms of F.I.R.E. when I decided to retire early at 45 so many years ago. 

I just did it my way. LOL. 

The fact that you did it and have been successful for so many years shows that I might be too conservative. 

My blogs on Lean F.I.R.E. might then give people the idea that I am talking down on the concept. 

It is not my intention to talk down, to be honest. 

I am just sharing a cautionary message. 

Now, having read your comment, I am interested to hear from people who are on Lean F.I.R.E. or who are thinking about Lean F.I.R.E. as something viable. 

How do they feel about the concept now? 

Are they still comfortable with possibly retiring early with little or no room for error? 

Or is my idea that there is little or no room for error an error? -.-" 

Oh, yes, I know what you mean by "poverty" living. 

Rich people laugh at me for saving small sums of money! 

They say I have a poverty mindset. (TmT)


Thanks for encouraging me to continue blogging.

If I were to retire fully from blogging, everyone who regularly eavesdrops on me has lots of alternatives available now. 

In recent years, while I was hiding in my gaming cave, to borrow a phrase from Keng, so many new personal finance/investment bloggers and also YouTubers in Singapore popped up. 

Really, the only constant in life is change and this is a good change.

In recent years, I have been cutting back on social engagements and even the number of ways people could get in touch with me became very limited.

I am one step away from being a hermit.

I enjoy spending quality time with myself a bit too much, maybe.

Well, although I have been a semi retired blogger in recent years, a full retirement isn't happening yet. 

Yet. ;p

I still enjoy blogging and, now, I even enjoy experimenting with YouTube video production. 

Old dog learning new trick. ;p 

So, I will stick around. 

I have decided to publish my response to your comment as a blog because I believe it should have a wider audience. 

I want to share an important point and a not so important point here. 

1. AK doesn't know everything and could be wrong about Lean F.I.R.E. 

2. AK is a semi-retired blogger and a new YouTuber who is just having fun. 

Agree or not?" 

Recently published: 

Avoid Lean F.I.R.E. and struggling with higher costs.